
COPmGUT DEPOSfT. 



DEER GODCHILD 

By 

Marguerite Bernard 
I* 

AND 

Edith Serrell 



ALL PROFITS ON THE SALE OF THIS BOOK ARE TO BE 

DEVOTED TO THE RELIEF OF FRENCH 

CHILDREN ORPHANED 

BY THE WAR 



New York 

Published for the Fatherless 
Children of France 

M. E. Demetre 
323 WEST 82nd street 

19 18 






COPYRIGHT 1918 BY 

MARIE E. DEMETRE 



©CLASH U^^ 



dedicated 

to our friend 

Louise Hurlbut Mason 



INTRODUCTION 

A young New-Yorker of twelve lately heard an 
appeal for the Fatherless Children of France, and 
his heart was touched. He had no money, but he 
resolved to give his spare time and his utmost 
energy to support a "kid in France." The French 
child needed ten cents worth of extra food each 
day, In order to grow up with strength and cour- 
age. The little American godfather earned those 
ten cents; he sold newspapers at the subway 
entrance, after school hours, and undertook an 
amazing variety of more or less lucrative odd 
jobs. Sometimes business was slow, and it was 
hard to keep up the game ; but he did. He is still, 
In the true American expression '^making good" 
for his deer godchild, and doing it with a broad 
and brotherly grin. He Is James P. Jackson Jr. His 
letters to and from the kid in France are published 
just for fun — and yet in the hope of encouraging 
more "dear benefactors" to join our large family 
and help along, In the same spirit and with the 

same joy. 

Edith Serrell. 



Deer Godchild 



DEER GODCHILD 

Greenville Falls, 
November 27, 19 16. 

Deer miss Secretary 

How are you? It is al-rlte about the french 
orfan and I wood like a boy between ten and 
twelve if it is the same to you. At fust dad sed 
I coodnt have him because there was plenty of rich 
godfathers who wood take him if I didnt, but 
mother told him of the apeel you made and that I 
was goin to raze the money myself, and he sed 
well I guess you are rite and if he can raze enuf 
money to raze a kid on he is well come to it, and 
she sed I guess that is the rite spirit. And so I 
am sending you 85cts. which is 7octs. fer the fust 
weak, and you can keep the change which is i5cts, 
fer the next weak, so I will only send 55cts. fer 
the fust weak after that. The 85cts. is my birth- 
day money which was on thanksgiving day and 
I guess the folks will be glad to give me work 
when they no I am suporting a kid in france. 

9 



10 DEER GODCHILD 

Hoping you are well and I am the same I will 
close. Yours truly, 

James Prendergast Jackson Jr. 

P.S. I shood like his name to be Bill or Pete in 
french and not one of those girly names if it is 
the same to you. 



To Mr. James Prendergast Jackson Jr. 

Dear Sir: 

According to your instructions, we have as- 
signed to you Andre Leblanc, aged i:, No. i8 
rue d'Autancourt, Paris, as your godchild for one 
year. Thanking you for your interest in thl> 
worthy cause, we beg to remain 

Very truly yours, 

The Junior Committee for the Fatherless 

Children of France. 



DEER GODCHILD 1 1 

Greenville Falls. N. Y. 

Dec. ist, 1916. 

Deer godchild 

How are you? I am very well and I have 
ganed 5 lbs. in one weak which makes me 85 lbs. 
which is thot very good in America. Have you 
had much snow? We have had it considerable 
hear which has spoylt the skating on Frost Lake 
which is beehind old Sam Bursars house who is 
our naybor. I am glad you have a short name, 
I had ruther be cald Andre than Nickulus, Cnstuft 
or Jean-Marie, but I wood ruther you were cald 
Bill or Pete or Sniper, but you cant help bemg 
what they call you so never mind. I suported you 
this weak by selling 70 copies of the Greenville 
Mirror by hand. It is a good paper and shood 
be patronized. I wakt into Jim Parkers offis he 
is the editur and sed, Mister Parker, if you have 
a loose job and no man fer it I am the man you 
want, and he sed how old are you? and I sed 11. 
and he sed what you want a job fer? and 1 sed, 
O fer a kid I have in France and he sed smce I was 
suportin you if I cood sell 70 copies of the Mirror 
he wood give me 35 cts. and Mother had give me 
15 fer mindin the chikens when she went to Peeks- 



12 DEER GODCHILD 

kill, so I new it would be al-rite, so I sed very 
well your on. So I took the mirrors and stood 
on the corner of School street, and bimeby the 
men begin to come home from the city, and some 
of them stopt to buy a Mirror and some did not, 
so I thot I wood make an appeel so I hollered. 
Buy a Mirror fer a kid in France, and waived it 
in there faces, and you shood have seen them buy! 
Enneway I guess the Mirror is a good ole paper, 
when all the men had come home I thot I wood 
take the papers to the folks that wernt on the 
street, like the schoolmaams and the sisters. Well 
most of them bot fine exept miss Leigh the Sunday 
school teacher, and she sed the Mirror was a low 
down politishuns sheet and I sed buy it fer Lily 
Blanche her help, and she sed what are you so 
ankshus to sell papers fer? And I sed how do you 
expect me to suport a kid in France if you peeple 
wont help out? and she sed the Lord will provide, 
but I told her I wood ruther do it myself; and she 
said I guess He's doin it threw you, so at last 
she forkt up, and I went home at 6 o'clock, but 
I tell you I had a prety tuf day. Say how is your 
mussel? Have you enny brothers and sisters? 

I have five, they are Amanda aged i6, Cecilia 



DEER GODCHILD 13 

aged 10, Myra-Louise aged 7, Molly aged 6, and 
Heloise aged 5. I come between the fust too. 
Dad wanted to call Heloise Omeega after Alfred 
and Omeega in the Bibel, but Mother sed that 
was foolish and I guess it was, cause there was no 
boy to be Alfred excep me, and I was alredy 
James, so he give it up. Sid Perkins is suportin 
a girl in France and hes a jful rich, and dont have 
to work to keep her goin. Gee, Im glad your a 
boy, girls is al-rite in there line but I woodnt adop 
one fer love or money. Can you here the shootin 
from where you are ? I have seen the new Ameri- 
can submareen and it is a fine bus, I tell you if 
ever the Yankees come runnin over there you 
wont see Kaiser Bill fer dust. Do you like pris- 
ners base? What grade are you in? Well, hoping 
you are well and that some day we will meet 
somewhere in France, I will close. 

Your affecshunate godfather, 

James Prendergast Jackson Jr. 

P. S. If ever we go to war, and I inlist and go 
to France I mite take you back to New York on 
firlow. 



14 DEER GODCHILD 

Paris, 
i6 Dec. 1916. 
Dear Benefactor, 

I thank you with the bottom of my heart for 
your kindness unto me. Maman and me have 
been so content to receive your letter and your 
donation generous! Your succour will sweeten 
the times difficult that we are traversing; and the 
silver^ you send will permit me to eat of the meat 
and be forceful to aid maman she has so much of 
labor and of pain! I will tell you, dear bene- 
factor, that I am not the most robust. But I take 
the oil of liver of cod-fish all the days for make 
myself high and good-carrying.^ Yes, dear bene- 
factor, I will forget never what you do, and all 
the nights I make a prayer for you be happy in 
the life. 

I cannot to read your letter very well alone, be- 
cause I know not sufficient the English. But I 
have one aunt, she is dead, she know very well 
the English, and she teach me of it and my great 
sister also ; she is a dactylographer,^ and she know 
the English very perfect, and she me aids so I 

(1) Silver (argent) money. 

(2) Good-carrying (bieu portante) healthy. 

(3) Dactylographer (typisf). 



DEER GODCHILD 15 

do mistakes not at all. And I serve me of the 
dictionary also. Maman say your letters will 
make complete my education. But some words 
I comprehend not. What is, for example, the 
kid? I search and I see only It Is the offspring of 
a goat. I am sure In the book is the mistake, for 
my dear godfather will not make the pain to me 
and my Maman in calling me the offspring of a 
goat. 

Dear godfather, I am also surprise that you 
be so much heavy. I have 1 1 years like you, and 
I am only 39 kg heavy. But In Amerlque, Maman 
tell me, all Is big, big! It Is droll, so big little 
boys. Sometimes I ask myself If you are veritably 
a little boy. Perhaps It is to make laugh you tell 
me you are one Infant. Perhaps you are the old 
gentleman. 

Tell me dear godfather, what Is It the Sunday- 
school? In Paris we go not to school the Sunday. 
We rise more lately, and we dress more pretty 
than the days of week, and for breakfast we eat 
the cacao In lieu of soup of potato left of last 
night. And we go to the grand mass with Maman. 
Little brother Jean Is one infant of choir at the 
church. He do nothing but balance and smoke 



1 6 DEER GODCHILD 

the incense, and be pretty like one angel ; because 
his hairs are like the gold, and his eyes like the 
heaven when the sun make shine. All at the be- 
ginning he was not content because the smoking 
make him to sneeze, and he did cry, and he wanted 
not to indorse"^ the dress white, with lace; he say 
he resemble to a girl ; and he believe all the world 
in the church was regarding him. But now he is 
habituated, and he become more sage. It is very 
necessary he become sage, because he is so devil. 
Yesterday, for example, Mr. le Cure give him a 
pretty card postal with the image of angels and 
tell him he must apply to resemble to them; and 
Jean responded, "no I want not to be the angel 
and have wings like one hen!" Mr. le Cure say 
it is Satan that commands the wicked words like 
that, and when he go to fall in temptation Jean 
must say, "Vade retro Satanas," and that make 
Satan go behind. And Jean say, "yes but then 
Satan go at my back and push hard, so I fall!" 
It is very sad little Jean be so much bad. 

I will tell you, dear benefactor, that I effort 
myself to work and be very sage so little brother 
take model on me. I go to catechism two times 

(4) Indorse (.endosser) to put on 



DEER GODCHILD 17 

by week, and I am on the table of honor, and for 
Christmas Mr. le Cure give me a pretty shawl for 
hold my neck and shoulders warm when I go to 
school. 

For Christmas Jean put his shoes in the chim- 
ney for the little Jesus fill them like all the years. 
But Maman say to him: "This year the little 
Jesus carry nothing, because with all the sous in 
the world he want to get our big victory so the 
dirty boches kill no more our dear Papas." 

But, grace to you, the morning of Noel the 
shoes were all of same remplished. There was 
apples red and some chocolate and stockings with 
long legs. We make many of holes In our stock- 
ings and all the time there is no more cloth in 
places, so Maman cuts them down. So in the 
beginning they are long, then 1/2 long, then socks. 
It was socks all the winter, dear benefactor, but 
when your silver come, the legs come long again. 

In the after-dinner Noel we make a promenade 
in the woods of Boulognes. Now it is the vacan- 
cies^ of Noel and I aid Maman, she make me some 
black aprons new for go to school, and I sit myself 
down on the side of her. She loves not that I play 

(5) Vacancies {vacances) vacations. 



1 8 DEER GODCHILD 

in the streets, because she desire that I be well 
elevated^. And it is much snow in Paris ; it make 
so cold that I love not to go out. 

Dear benefactor, you demand what grade I 
am. I comprehend not. Only the officers have 
grade. Are you an officer? I think yes, because 
you talk so much the submareens, etc. 

I have nothing more to say at you, but Maman 
joins herself to me to pray you to agree, dear 
benefactor, the expression of our sentiments the 
most distinguished and respectuous. 

Your godchild, 

A. Leblanc. 

(6) Well elevated {bieu elevee) well bred. 



Greenville Falls. N. Y, 

Jan. 2, '17. 
Deer Miss Secretary, 

There is something off about my godchild, you 
no the one you give me to suport, well dad rored 



DEER GODCHILD 19 

when he saw the letter but I think he Is a nut and 
mother sez he is two elevated fer me, so hoping 
you will get me a nuther one I will close hoping 
you are well. 

Yours truly, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 

P.S. I will rite just the same to this one till 
you get me a nuther one. 



Greenville Falls. N. Y. 

Jan. 2, 1917. 
Deer godchild 

How are you? I got your letter al-rite and 
what I wood like to no is what in thunder is Miat 
goat stuff you are drivin at? I didnt call you no 
names excep dere godchild and kid and you are 
both, and a godchild Is a godchild and som.etimes 
a kid is a goat and sometimes a goat is a kid and if 
you dont stop your kiddin you'll get my goat see ? 
Mebbe you didnt mene to be fresh and if you 



20 DEER GODCHILD 

didnt will call it square and say no more about it, 
ennyway I guess you use that bloomin dickshunary 
two much. Dickshunaries is like girls and is alrite 
in there line, but I aint got much use fer them and 
you had best chuck yours out the window. I guess 
85lbs. is a good ole wait but 39 is something 
feerce, why even Heloise aged 5 ways 45 and she 
dont eat enny of that codfish liver, and say what 
does It test like ennyway? I bet it tests like ole 
get out. I told Mother you wade only 39 and she 
sed, my goodness he must have tuberculosees, and 
dad sed, no, he has not had enuf meat, but I sed 
no but he is going to have some now I am suport- 
ing him. What do you think? I got enuf money 
to suport you fer too weaks, and if you will cross 
your heart not to tell because I promist I woodnt 
and you must do the same, I will tell you how it 
hapened, well it was this way, I was readin the 
Motor Boys Under the Sea beehind the portyares 
and its great, when in walk Carl Odell the young 
feller across the way and Amanda aged 16, and 
they set down and didnt say much and bimby Carl 
he takes Amandas hand and sez, Amanda you no 
how tis with me? and she sez, why no how is it 
Carl? and he sez I love you, and she sez to Carl, 
this is so suddin, and he sez, little girl will you 



DEER GODCHILD 21 

be my wife? and she sez, o Carl I dunno, and he 
sez, I demand an answer yes or no, and she sez 
well I dunno but as I will, and he sed, sweatheart 
what day shall it be? And I stept out and sed, 
Hold on, dont go and make it Tuesday becaus 
Amandas promist to go fishin and dad wont 
let me go to Frost Lake without her, caus its 16 
feet deep, and you should have seen them jump. 
They was scart plump out of there wits, and 
Amanda she sez. If he tells dad I shall dye, and 
Carl he grabd me by one ear and sed, Jim, I 
give you the choyce of keepin quiet and gettin 
$1.50 or squealin and being skinned alive, and I 
sed. Well I am suporting a kid, I mean a boy, in 
France so I will take the coin, so I crost my heart 
and sed hope to dye if I squeal and you must do 
the same, caus bimby if the Yanks come runnin 
over there you mite mete a frend of Carl Odells 
and hed tell a nuther frend, and bimby all the 
Yanks wood no it and it wood get back to Carl 
Odells ears. I bet that Jean is some brother, say 
hes al-rite, all excep his name, coodnt you make 
it Buster? Say what you want to go wearin a 
shawl fer, fust thing you no all the boys will call 
you girly, and I dont intend to have no godchild 



22 DEER GODCHILD 

of mine cald that, no siree, not if I have to skin 
them alive fer it. I no its hard when things are 
give to you not to wear them, last yere the Sun- 
day-school teacher give me a baby-blew tie and 
darn if I didnt have to wear it every Sunday till 
Lady Evelin Jack Burtons fathers best bull dog 
found it and et it. But you go eezy on that shawl. 
Never you mind about Sunday-school, just you be 
glad you dont have to go to it, though I dont no 
but goin to see that balancin stunt of Jeans Is just 
as bad. And dont you be askin two many ques- 
tions about me, mebbe Im an officer and mebbe 
Im not, and mebbe I no something about sub- 
mareens and mebbe I don't but I woodnt let it 
sprize you if I come ridin in in one of those busses 
one of these days, and if I do and I like you I mite 
even take you back with me to New York, and 
then goodnite — ^you'll see some sites. Say whats 
that dope on sage? Hoping you are well and will 
rite to me soon I will now close hoping you are 
well. 

Your affeckshunate godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 

P.S. I made Carl Odell give me the money rite 



DEER GODCHILD 23 

off becaus he is a Red Indian fer cheatin. Did 
you get the Christmas presents I sent you? 



18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris. 
4 Jan. 1917. 
Dear Godfather: 

The big paquet from Amerique come late but 
I receive it to-day and I thank you very much. 
You are very good to think so much of me and it 
is very pretty, dear benefactor. There is one 
glove only, and I am fearful that the other rested 
on the road^. But it makes nothing^; I have not 
business^ of two, because one Is enough big for my 
two hands, and it is a muff very warm; but veri- 
tably, dear godfather, you are big like giants, in 
Amerique! The little cage is very commodious 
also, and very pretty. Jean believe It Is a muzzle 
for dog, but no, I comprehend It is for suspend on 
the ceiling for to make pretty the house, with 

(7) Rested on the road (reslc en route) went astray. 

(8) It makes nothing (cela tie fait r en) it does not matter. 

(9) I have not business (ien'ai pas besoin) I do not need. 



24 DEER GODCHILD 

plants green, climbing. 

Gcobye, dear benefactor, I kiss you with the 
bottom of my heart. 

Your godchild all devoted, 

A. Leblanc. 



Greenville Falls. N. Y. 
Deer miss Secretary, 

Pleese you must do sumthing quick about my 
orphan he is awful. I sent a baseball glove and 
mask for Cristmas and he used them fer a muff 
and to hang plants in, and he wares a shawl and 
sits on the table of sumthing, and now he is kiss- 
ing me with the bottom of his heart and that is 
the limit and he must cut it out because I wont 
stand fer that. Hoping you are well and you will 
answer soon In answer to my leter I will close. 

Yours truly, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



DEER GODCHILD 25 

1 8 rue d'Autancourt, Paris 
18 Jan. 1917. 
Dear Benefactor: 

I thank you for your pretty letter so interesting. 
My great sister Marie work very hard for to aid 
me read it, but it is very difficult to comprehend. 
It is because you talk the American and the dic- 
tionary talk only the English. I will try to learn 
the American if you will to me give the instruc- 
tions. Dear godfather, you are not in anger 
against me? I make always attention to be polite 
and genteel, because already I love you from far. 
But Marie say there is the miss understand in our 
letters she cannot explicate. For three nights I 
sleep not well because I search to comprehend 
what is it that makes bad, then this morning I 
have it the idea brilliant; there is on the place des 
Clercs the dentist American. It is writ on his 
door, Dr. Yanket, and Maman go to sew on the 
dresses of Madame. She talk very well with two 
tongues, and Maman say she regard the letters 
then she laugh very strong. Then she say to 
Maman : "Console your infant, it may sleep on the 
two ears,^° because the godfather is one very gen- 

(10) Sleep on two ears (dorntir sur les deux oreilles) to sleep like a top 



26 DEER GODCHILD 

teel little boy." And then she write a little paper 
she desire me copy for you very careful. Here is 
it: "Jimmy, in Uncle Sam's name I am proud of 
you. You're the right sort keep it up and don't 
get cold feet. For that godchild of yours is very 
much all right, as you will very soon realize. But 
let me give you frankly just one piece of friendly 
advice; don't tell your kid to "chuck the dictionary 
out of the window," but rather get one yourself, 
and polish up your English. Your spelling and 
your vocabulary are, to use your own expression, 
"something fierce;" how can you expect the poor 
little French child to understand your slang?" 

There; I have made copy, and again I under- 
stand not very well. But I am sure it go to make 
all arrange. And I know that you are one little 
boy; I am so content! 

Dear godfather, it is very droll the fashion you 
do to make silver In Amerique! But It is very 
dangerous, and never In Paris we do like that. I 
see in my book of Images English how the terrible 
Red-skins scalp the enemy, "skin 'em alive," like 
you say, and I see the image of the chef. He have 
long hairs black, with plumes red and green; and 
chains brilliant suspended, and he carry in the 
middle one little apron of fur; and he have not 



DEER GODCHILD 27 

knowledge of the bon Dieu. It Is call: "trading 
with the Indians." Oh please, dear godfather, 
do not for me trading with the Indians! I will 
permit not that you risk to be skin alive. I make 
the promise like you say, and I make like you the 
sign of cross, but I hope not to die if I squeal; I 
cry not very often, but sometimes, and my poor 
Maman will be to much desolated if I die. 

Goodbye dear godfather; believe at my senti- 
ments the more affectuous. 

Your godchild, 

A. Leblanc. 



To Mr. James P. Jackson Jr. 
Dear Sir: 

I am much interested In the account of your 
correspondence with your French godchild, and I 
would advise you not to be discouraged if he does 
not seem, in every way, to be living up to your 
expectations. You must remember that these 



28 DEER GODCHILD 

fatherless children have suffered more deeply and 
more courageously than you can possibly imagine. 
If his letters sound rather effeminate I hope you 
will in time realize that it is merely a difference of 
language and convention that gives you that im.- 
pression. The French are a very affectionate and 
demonstrative people. You know that even their 
"Papa Joffre" kisses his brave soldiers on both 
cheeks when he decorates them. 

You are doing splendid work for a boy of your 
age, and I hope you will not let small prejudices 
get in your way. Remember you are unusually 
fortunate to have a child who can write in English. 

With my best wishes and congratulations, I re- 
main cordially yours. 

Secretary for the Junior Committee 
of the Fatherless Children of France. 



Greenville Falls. N. Y. 

Feb. 3, 1917. 
Deer godchild 

How are you? Say will you do me a faver and 
cut out kissin me with the bottom of your heart? If 



DEER GODCHILD 29 

you think you ot to do it you can kiss me on both 
cheeks if that is the custim I guess I can stand it, 
but I had ruther you did not kiss me at all if it is 
the same to you as we shake hands in America. 
Say that missis Yankit is some woman beleeve me 
and you had better keep away from her, fust thing 
you no she'll be trying to make me go to school 
every day and buy a dicshunary. What she no 
about the American languidge enny^\^ay? what she 
have to come buttin in with her too tongues be- 
tween us? You are my godchild and I am your 
godfather and if there is ennything you dont un- 
derstand I am the one to explane, and you tell that 
Yankit woman she had better be helpin her hus- 
band with his teeth and let us alone, and to put 
that in her pipe and smoke it. I am glad you like 
the Cristmas presents I sent you and if you want 
to string the mask from the ceilin you are well 
come to it, but it is ment to keep your nose from 
gettin smasht when a hard ball comes bingin 
through the air. Say, that must be some stunt 
sleepin on both ears, I have slep on my stummick 
an on my back an on one ear, but not on both. 
Last nite we had welsh rabit fer super and I did 
not sleep enny way. It is a good thing I have that 



30 DEER GODCHILD 

$1.50 Carl Odell give me becaus I do not feel 
al-rite and Mother wont let me go out to work, 
but I guess I will get out soon again so dont worry 
about my suportin you. Say, thats al-rite about 
the Red Indians — corse they aint as numrous as 
they was once but there still plentiful in parts but 
dont let that worry you cause I been brot up with 
them and no how to handle them. Red Skins is 
like snakes and Is al-rite if you keep your eye on 
them. Course I woodnt advise you to medal with 
them, but I guess I can look out for myself. Say, 
how Is Jean and has he done enny more stunts? 
I have a sister Molly aged 6 and she Is going to 
rite plays and say she turns out some great stuff. 
Yesterday she dresst Cecilia, you no the one aged 
7, as a queen and Molly she was the subjeck 
boughed before her and sed. Your majesty to-day 
unto you a child is born, and Cecilia, I mean the 
queen sed. Bring it in, and Molly the subjeck brot 
In Snookie the cat only it was the child then and 
It was all rigged up in Helolses close, and bimeby 
Heloise who was a wicked king come runnin In to 
kidnap the baby and she sed, no I mean he sed 
because she was a king, That Is my child ! and the 
subjeck sed, It Is not! and the king sed, It Is too! 



DEER GODCHILD 31 

and the sujeck sez as cool as a cucumber, Your 
majesty you are a lyre! and then they had the 
darndest fite over that baby you ever saw. Fust 
the king hit the subjeck bingo In the eye then the 
subjeck he pincht the babys tail, you no Snookles, 
and bimeby Mother come runnin in and stuck 
them all in bed, but it was a buly fite. I feel auful 
queer so guess I will close hoping you are better 
than I feel 

Your aiteckshunate godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 

P.S. Do you like rabit? I hate it! 

P.S. Dont ferget to tell that Yanket woman to 
put what I told you in her pipe and smoke it. 



18 rue d'Autancourt, 

Paris, 
18 Feb. 19 1 7. 

Dear Godfather: 

How are you? I hope you are no more fati- 
gued. Very sure I will send you the kiss cut out 



32 DEER GODCHILD 

as you say if you prefer. And also I will shake 
your hand. I will do all things American and all 
things that make you pleasure. But, dear god- 
father, you demand that I tell to Madame Yanket 
to smoke the pipe and I like not to say that be- 
cause she is one very great lady, very genteel. 
But Maman say that is only a fashion of talk 
American and I must not make attention to It. 

Yes, dear godfather, I like rabbit. When we 
live In the country we have two, one white and 
one black, and at the end of time we have 26! 
But not Welsh rabbits ; French. They make not 
sick like yours. 

Dear benefactor, I will write you not very long 
this day, for my great brother Jules come tonight 
on permission of four days, and I am much oc- 
cupied to aid Maman arrange all things clean and 
pretty. I will relate on him in my letter of the 
week next. 

I squeeze your hand, and envoy to you the kiss 
cut out with my heart. 

Your godchild. 

A. Leblanc. 



DEER GODCHILD 33 

Greenville Falls. N. Y. 

Feb, 5, 1917. 
Deer godchild 

How are you? It waznt the rabit it is the hoop- 
incoff, I guess I am goin to dye al-rite. 

J. p- J- 



18 rue d'Autancourt, 

Paris, 
Feb. 20, 19 17. 
Dear Godfather: 

Your letter made me to cry. I will permit you 
not to die. When I get your letter I go and break 
my tire-lire. It is the little dog of porcelain with 
one hole in the stomach. Maman give it to me 
for my fete, the Ste. Andree, and she give me two 
sous for put in the hole all the Sundays, and it 
come out nevermore until it break, you compre- 



34 DEER GODCHILD 

hend? I guard^^ the little dog under my pillow 
and it make bad in my heart to break it, but what 
will you? My dear godfather who is only one 
child like me, work strong like a man for make 
me happy and I would break not my tire-lire for 
to save him from the death? Oh yes, a thousand 
times yes ! So I take it out in the court and open 
the stomach with one stone and I make to fall out 
26 sous! And I go to the store of objects pious, 
and I demand one candle of 26 sous or two candles 
of 13 sous, but the lady say 13 is a number of un- 
happiness so she give me one of 25 sous, and one 
sou of paper of lace of gold to put around. And I 
go quick to the church, and put up the candle to the 
Ste. Vierge, and she will see it from the sky, and 
she will see you also in Amerique and make you 
not to die. M. le Cure see the little flag American 
that you send me and that I attach to the candle- 
stick and he caress my head and say: *'What for 
is it?" So I tell him and he say I am very genteel. 
But all of a hit^^ I melt in tears, ^^ because I know 
I am not genteel, dear godfather! I am very, 

(11) 1 guard ije garde) I keep. 

(12) All of a hit (tout d'un coup) suddenly. 

(13) Melt in tears {fondre en larmes) burst into tears. 



DEER GODCHILD 35 

very bad and wicked; I tell not the truth and I 
conduct not myself well unto you. Perhaps you 
will pardon me never! I go to confession and 
M. le Cure say for my penitence I must also con- 
fess to you that I am one little girl! Oh dear 
godfather, be not too much In anger! I am so 
sad ! I comprehend not how it arrived, but when 
you write to me and say you love not the little girls 
I was afraid and responded nothing. Dear god- 
father, I will tell you that when I was little I pray 
often the bon Dieu make me one boy, because you 
know, for Him nothing is impossible. But He 
wish I remain a girl, and now I have cheated and 
He punish me very strong in make you so much 
fatigue you almost die. I cannot v/rlte more this 
day because I am too much sad. But if you die 
not please tell me soon because I am so much 
unquiet. I assure you I will nevermore be so 
villain. 

Your godchild repentant, 

Andree Leblanc. 

P.S. Maman say the Comite Amerlcain put me 
like one boy. It Is the two "e" that make one girl. 
P.P.S. I search what is the hooplncoff, but I find 



36 DEER GODCHILD 

It not. Surely it is the very dangerous malady, 
but if you die, you go to Paradise; M. le Cure 
promise me. 



Greenville Falls. N. Y. 
Deer miss Secretary, 

The boy you give me is a girl. What are you 
going to do about it? 

Yours respekfully, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



Dear Mr. Jackson 

In reply to your letter, we would state that the 
mistake was due to the handwriting of the child's 
mother, making the name appear to be spelt with 
one "e" Instead of two, and thus making it a 
boy's name. 



DEER GODCHILD 37 

We will endeavor, as soon as possible, to re- 
pair our error, as it was never our intention to 
deceive you. 

Very truly yours, 
Junior Committee of the Fatherless 

Children of France. 



Greenville Falls. N. Y. 

Deer Miss Secretary, 

I didnt say you were deceivin, I just want to tell 
you the boy you give me was a girl so you wood 
not make that mistake agen. It is the limit when 
you have told the fellers you had a boy, to go and 
get a girl, and when I shod the letter to dad he 
sed by jove youre in a fine posishun you are and I 
sed how is that, and he sed fust thing you no you 
will get yourself talkt about, ritin to a girl in 
France and that would be fine woodnt it? 

Respectfully yours, 

J. P. Jackson Jr* 



38 DEER GODCHILD 

Greenville Falls, N. Y. 

March 7, 19 17. 
Deer godchild, 

I received your letter and I did not dye. Of 
corse you cant help bein a girl insted of a boy and 
thats al-rite because Heloise and Myra-Louise and 
Nelly the girl next dore and pretty nerely every 
body wood ruther be a boy than a girl, but you 
were the limit to fib about it and you have put me 
In a auful queer posishun, so no more fer this 
time. 

Your godfather, 

J. P. Jackson Jr. 

P.S. I will suport you just the same so do not 
worry. 



Paris, 
21 March 19 17. 

Dear Mr. James, 

I have your letter, and I perceive that you arc 
very much offensed. One time more I demand 



DEER GODCHILD 39 

pardon; but I cannot be like you want, and by 
consequence I can never more call myself your 
dear godchild; if you love me not, and I am of- 
fensive, I have not business of you and your sil- 
ver. Please give it to one unhappy little boy. 
It is worth better that I have hunger, it is worth 
better that I be made dead by the boches, than to 
be like one little mendicant. I demand to Maman 
if it Is not true, and she say yes. 

I thank you for all the pain you did take for 
me and I forget never. When I become grand I 
will render to you all you pay for me. 

Goodbye monsieur James. Receive the expres- 
sion of my best salutations, 

Andree Leblanc. 



Greenville Falls, N. Y. 

April 2, 1917. 
Deer godchild, 

Say what is the matter with you ennyway and 
why don't you want me to support you enny 



40 DEER GODCHILD 

longer? I am your godfather and you are my 
godchild and it is a legal afare, dad sez, and 
if ennybody sez ennything about it they will 
have to deel with me, see? Ennyway mebbe I was 
kinder cranky about it, and you kinder fibbd, so 
lets say we had a scrap and shake on it and let it 
go at that, lots of the fellers hear have scraps with 
the girls, and last weak Dinky Odell who is Carl 
Odells yungist brother had one with Heloise be- 
cause he hollerd, Heloise go wash your feet, the 
bord of helths across the street, at her and she cried, 
but he sent her a peach of a poim to make up, and 
hear it is, "If you dont like me enny more, then I 
shall inlist and go to war!" I guess Dinky is goin 
to be a poit al-rite. You no I mite go to war two, 
lots of the fellers hear are inlistin in forrin regi- 
munts, theres Carl Odell who has joind the Cana- 
dian Royal Fling Corpse, and Hanky Jones is goin 
to drive a truck in France and I guess he will be 
some driver al-rite because he has druv the new 
automobile hearse fer too years now, and say he 
goes like the dickuns. Corse I aint sayin Im goin 
to inlist rite away but I got some ideas in mind 
and Im thinking of raisin a regiment of boy scouts 
or Red Indians, I guess the Red skins wood be the 



DEER GODCHILD 4^ 

best, and say woodnt Kaiser Bill look chepe if he 
saw a bunch of Red Skins beatin it after him? I 
bet hed run to beat the band, and I bet theyd catch 
him and if they did, goodnite fer Kaiser Bill. Say 
they woodnt do a thing to him exept mebbe scalp 
him or skin 4iim alive, and woodnt he look chepe 
then' Red Skins is auful feerce when they get 
goin and I dont rekon ennybody copd. stop them 
once' they got started. We had an auful scare last 
nite I had been suportin you all day by choppm 
wood and I was dead beet but all of a suddin I was 
woke up by dad and he was yellin Murder ! Murder! 
and Amanda and Cecilia and Mother who had her 
hare in curl papers rushd in, and there was dad 
having a buly fite in bed, and he was punchm the 
pilo, and yellin Murder! Murder! and we was all 
scart to go neer him because -he wood punch us like 
the pilo, so Mother took a pitcher of cold water and 
throo it in his face, and that woke him up and he 
was mad as time, and sed, what you tryin to do, 
drown me? And then he laft and told us his dreme 
and it was this way, M.ax Dinkelheim, the -shoo- 
maker was a German spy and he was trying to sell 
hot dogs with boms in them and no one new there 
was boms in them exept dad And he sed, you dirty 



42 DEER GODCHILD 

Fritz cut that out, and Max he grabd dad by the 
hare and dad he yankd Max by the ear, and they 
was havin a buly fite when out come five more ger- 
mans and begun to paist dad on the head, and corse 
he coodnt manige the 6 of them so he was yelHng 
Murder ! Murder ! And then he got the pitcher of 
water and that was all. I bet dad cood have lickd 
the stuffin out of Max Dinkelheim al-rite, and I bet 
we are goin to have war this weak and if we do, dad 
sez the Kaiser w^ill find out 'he has bit off more 
than he can chew, and you had better make up w^ith 
me because I think you are al-rite, and if we have 
war I mite be in a posishun to help you. Thank 
you fer burning that candle fer me, we have been 
burning some sulfur ones fer Heloise and Molly and 
they seem to be gettin along nicely. Dont fergit 
when you rite to say if you are not mad at me enny 
more. 

Your affeckshunate godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 

P.S. Hows your big brother been makin out? 
P.P.S, Thank you very much fer .bustin that dog 
fer me. I have a pig with a hole in it and if I era 
enuf money next weak I will send it to you. 



DEER GODCHILD 43 

P.P.P.S. Who'is.that Mr. le Cure you talk so much 
about ? 



18 rue d'Autancourt. 
April 16. 

Dear Monsieur James: 

When I go to school the week past I see the flag 
of Amerique floating well high ! And all the world 
is content because you come to aid us terminate by 
a peace victorious this war so terrible, and be like 
one brother for the triumph of the Justice, and the 
Liberty, and the Humanity. That is what the mis- 
tress of school explicate to us, and we love and 
honor the Amerique like the great sister Republique, 
and then she tell us get up and learn chant the 
song of the Banner of Stars. Perhaps you have 
hear It? It begin: ''Oh, dites, voyez-vous aiix 
hieiirs du matin'* etc. The mistress write it all 
on the tables black,^* and we copy in lieu of the 

(14) Tables blalk (tableaux noirs) black boards. 



44 DEER GODCHILD 

exercise of grammar, and It make us all joyful. 
But all that make me think so much of you, that I 
cannot empeche^^ myself even If you are no more 
my godfather, to pin the little flag American that 
you give me, on my heart, that save you from the 
death by the hoopincoff when I attach it to the 
candle of the Ste. VIerge. And then, pending the 
recreation of mid-day, I go home and the factor 
bring your letter! And when I return at school 
I effort myself so strong to read your letter, that I 
cannot make like It must^^ my chart geographic. 
But I promise Isabelle Gaveau, the little girl of 
the merchant of shoes, that If she will to aid me, 
I will lend her my pretty handkerchief new, for 
go to church the morning of Easter. So we be all 
content and I have very much the time to reflect 
and respond at your letter. 

Dear Monsieur James, I comprehend that you 
want I continue be your dear godchild. I demand 
to Maman what I do, and she say: "Take the 
s-Ilver, and make no more infantile foolishness. 
Only one onion cost five sous now, and the life Is 
very hard, but Amerlque have the great heart to 

(15) Empeche tnyself (jn*emp2chcr) I cannot help. 

(16) Like it must {comma il faut) nicely. 



DEER GODCHILD 45 

help us and give us the hand, and we work all 
the two for the Patrie." So, dear godfather, we 
be not mad at ourselves any more, and I promise 
I make no more the fib, and you make no more the 
cranky, Is It not? I must to make many progress 
In American for when you come I reckon you come 
like the dickuns, like yellin thunder, with the 
skin'em alive Red-skins and the hot dogs ! 

Dear benefactor, what Is it the hot dogs? My 
great sister say it is a species of machine-gun 

American. 

It Is very funny your Papa make the wicked 
dream! You have the very beautiful family. Me 
too. Great brother Jules Is already the corporal 
and he Is like the Chevalier Bayard without fear 
and without reproach. One day, he tell me, a 
great eclat d'ohus take off his hat, and he pick it 
off the ground and say: "Ho Fritz! I wanted not 
be so polite and salute you!" And my great 
brother tell me many things important on the war. 
But I write them not, because the censure would 
scold me ; perhaps put me In prison. 

Pending his permission of four days, he teach 
little Jean the chants of the regiment. Some are 
not for the little infants, Maman says, so he 



46 DEER GODCHILD 

whistle them. But Jean love the military chants 
much more than the ones of latin he learn to sing 
in the church, and I hope he mix them not. Dear 
godfather, tomorrow Is Easter and I am making 
an egg for you. It Is a surprise so I tell you not 
what is in it. 

Your affeckshunate godchild, 

Andree Leblanc. 



May 5, 1917. 
Greenville Falls, N. Y. 
Deer godchild. 

Gee whiz but Kaiser Bill Is In fer it ! Gee whiz, 
you ot to see how Uncle Sam is fixin up fer him ! 
Jo Kelly and Walter Daly and lot of the felers 
are going in fer aviashun and Bill Wilson's scout- 
master and organlzin a crack bunch of boy scouts 
and we have a home Deefence and dad has got a 
uniform and a wooden gun and he sez it is a pretty 
good bunch of felers, but he cood do more with 
them If he was captin insted of mister Larkin, who 
is a good feler but a bum captin. I aint sayin 



DEER GODCHILD 47 

much but I got a few idees and I woodnt let it 
sprize you If I was to Invent something one of 
these days, but I cant tell you what it Is becaus the 
censer wood cut It out. I got your egg and I thank 
you f er it, but say it got me in dutch al-rlght, it was 
this way, the postman brot the packidge just as I 
was going to school and I didnt have time to open 
it so I took it along and we was bavin some speshul 
exercises fer a kernel Dudley who was to talk on. 
Do your bit to help win the war, and Bug Hadley 
was recitin the getysberg adress and I opened the 
packidge and their was your egg all smasht up. I 
guess them cardboard eggs aint very strong, or 
mebbe the censer didnt handel it gently, ennyhow 
it was smasht and the curl inside it was there al- 
rite only It was kind of mixt up with the cream 
candy and I was unmixin them when Lily Graham 
who set beehind me whisperd to Erny Dinkelheim, 
who Is Max Dinkelheims youngist son, Jimmy 
Jacksons girl In France has sent him a curl! and 
Erny started to laff and say, O you Curly — Curly 
Jackson ! and I sed. You shut up ! and he sed, O 
pooh-pooh — pooh-pooh — and I sed, Dont you 
pooh-pooh me ! and he sed. Who will I pooh-pooh 
then? and I sed, Pooh-pooh the Kaiser, and he sed, 



48 DEER GODCHILD 

The Kaiser wont let me pooh-pooh him and you 
leave him alone! And I sed, The Kaiser is bug- 
house, and Erny he made a grab at me and landed 
me one on the chin, and I paisted him one on the 
eye and Bug Hadley he stopt sayin the getysberg 
adress, and miss Davis she was jumpin up and 
down hollerin O boys, O boys, stop them, stop 
them ! and kernel Dudley he hopt off the stand and 
puUd us apart, and miss Davis was fer puttin us 
on the platferm with our arms on each others 
shoulders, but the kernel sed, No, it is that other 
boys fait, send him home. So they sent Erny 
home and he was mad as time. Then the kernel 
give his talk and sed how the girls cood help by 
making the bandlges and how the boys cood find 
out who was fer the guvernment and who wasnt. 
I bet Erny and his father isnt, and I am going to 
keep my eye on them. Then we sang the french 
nashunal anthem and it is a fine him, and it goes 
this way in English :Ye sons of France awake to 
glory, the day of victory has come, your childrens 
wives, and sires horny, behold there tears — and 
thats as far as Ive lernt, we have got to lern all 
of it, and their is a buly part that goes, March on. 
Yesterday the fife and drum corpse plaid It and 



DEER GODCHILD 49 

the Star Spangled Banner and some of the boys 
lafft becaus the fifes sort of sqweekt. I dont see 
how ennybody can laff when they play the Star 
Spangled Banner. Did you get my pig? I suported 
you- this weak by polishin 10 door handels at 7 
cents each, some of them was already polisht but 
the folks was real nice about it and let me give 
them an extry polish. Say why dont you tell me 
who that Mr. le Cure is? I have askt you too 
times now, and say if I was you I woodnt say, 
come like the dickens or skin them alive or enny 
of that kind of talk. It is al-rite fer boys who are 
used to rufEn it, but It Is not nice fer girls so if I 
was you I wood go easy on It, and hot dogs aint 
machine guns, they are sausidges that are made 
from those low-down german dogs that heve short 
legs, but say they test buly in a roll. The vilets 
and pollywogs have come and I wood send you 
some but I guess they wood dry up before you got 
them. Ennyway you neednt worry much about 
the war now that Uncle Sam is In It we will lick 
the stuffin out of him together, I mean out of 
Kaiser Bill. 

Your afPeckshunate godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



50 DEER GODCHILD 

P.S. Bug Hadley sez it is lucky fer him Erny and 
I had that fite, because he had fergot what come 
after, and dedicatid to the proposishun. 



June 3, 19 17. 
18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris. 
Dear Godfather: 

It is great damage that the pretty egg of Easter 
I sent you be smasht up! But I regret yet more 
that to receive my paquet make you dispute your- 
self in dutch, like you say, with the little villain in 
school. All the same I am content you landed him 
one in the eye (I comprehend not what you want 
say by that, but I am sure the little boche com- 
prehend) and you are one valiant patriot. 

Dear godfather, why say you the girls must go 
easy to learn the American? I effort myself to 
be instructed with the words in your letters the 
dictionary contains not but if they are nothing but 
for little boys I pray you to tell me the pretty 
words for the little girls. I am sure my dear god- 
father serves himself not of villain talk. Jean 



DEER GODCHILD 51 

was put In penitence yesterday because he say one 
word that is for Poilus only, and Maman turn 
him against the wall in the corner with the hands 
behind; and do you know what he do when we 
regard him not? He lick the paper on the wall 
and make It to come off. So Maman give him the 
spank. Dear godfather, I am happy to make you 
a little pleasure In sending you my portrait. I 
think it Is well succeeded and very resembling, and 
will you have the obligeance to envoy to me the 

one of you? 

Dear godfather, I make to you a list of words 
American I comprehend not, and I hope you will 
have the obligeance to explicate them to me? What 
is, for example, gee whiz, felers, boy scouts, bum, 
home defence, kernel, getysberg adress, mebbe, 
pooh-pooh, bug-house, the dickens, pollywogs, and 
lick the stuffin out? I effort myself very strong to 
find them, but It Is not worth the pain to search 
any longer In the dictionary. 

Your affeckshunate godchild, 

Andree Leblanc. 



52 DEER GODCHILD 



Greenville Falls, N. Y. 
Julys, 1917. 



Deer godchild. 



How are you? I dont see that their Is enny fun 

In life enny more. I erned $1.56 pickin cherles off 

the Burtons black chery tree and I thot that wood 

make 70 cents fer you and I would spend the rest 

on fire crakers, well Toby that Is the Burtons mas- 

tif that Is always chened up, broke loose and I 

guess he remembered when Johnny Smith and me 

had swiped some cherles last yere when he was 

chened up, becaus he give one yip and come and 

set rite under that tree, and he set their and grinnd 

at me all afternoon, and bimeby their was a 

thunder shower and I had on my blew pants that 

was made from dads that had got too tite fer 

him, and I thot when It begin to rain Toby wood 

beat it, but he just set their and didnt move till 

bimicby mister Burton come along and yankt him 

away by the color. Well I had pickt the cherles 

al-rite but I was soked clear through and the color 

had come off my pants and on my legs. It Is 

feerce to have blew legs. Well I thot I wood stop 

and buy a canon craker and a pistol and I wasnt 



DEER GODCHILD 



53 



going to fire them off before the 4th. but ole Max 
Dinkelhelm was walking kind of slow in front of 
me and I thot I wood try the pistol just once to 
see if it workt, so I walkt a little faster and shot 
it off bingo and you shood have seen ole Max 
jump ! He give one flop in the air and hollered, 
A bom ! A bom I I guess he thot I was a sub- 
mareen, and when he saw it was me beat it after 
me and we run all the way home, and Max he 
run rite into dad and sed. Where is that boy T 
will teech him to molest a peaceful citizen. And 
dad sed, What has he done? And he told him 
and sed, I am going to give him the best lickin of 
his life, and dad rolld up his sleeves and sed. Not 
till you lick me first! And Max kind of lookd 
at dad just like in the dream and I guess he was 
scart, so he sed. If you will promise to see he is 
punisht I will leve it to you, and dad sed, I 
promise, and Max left and dad he come up and 
was mad as ole get out, and he took my pistol and 
canon away and I had ruther he had give me a 
lickin because after too days you can set down and 
are al-rite again. We have just herd the Yanks 
have landid somewhere in France. Say, if you 
want to see a bunch of rele fiters you just go take 



54 DEER GODCHILD 

a look at them, and you mite tell your brother 
Jules to take a look at them two as he might get 
some idees from them. I cant tell you what all 
those words mean, gee whiz is just gee whiz and 
a feler is a guy who is about 12 or 18, and a bum 
is a feler or something that is no good, and a 
pollywog is a animal that is going to be a frog, 
and pooh-pooh is pooh-pooh, and bughouse means 
you have rats in the upper story, and you had 
better find out about the getysberg adress and the 
boy scouts and mebbe and the dickens yourself but 
I wood go easy on them if I was you. What you 
want to go askin me all those things fer ennyway? 
I aint askin you what the vacancies, or all of a hit, 
or pending, or enny of those things are, am I ? I 
got your photo and I like the way your hare curls 
and your eyes two and everythin, and I am glad 
you are not laffin. Girls that giggle are the limit. 
•I have only one photo of myself and I look as 
if I wood dye grinning becaus the man that took it 
was jumpin up and down and sayin. Look hear! 
Look hear! Say wood you relly like to have It? 
I dont think you wood, I dont see what good I am 
ennyway. I am two young to inllst and I dont 
think you relly like me. I guess mebbe I had 



DEER GODCHILD 55 

better go to sea or something. 

Your affeckshunate* godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 

P.S. I went butterflying to-day and had good luck. 



1 8 rue d'Autancourt,, Paris. 
August 2, 1917. 

Dear godfather: 

You know what it is the "cafard?" In the dic- 
tionary it say it is a "roach" and that is the little 
beast black like your pollywogs, I think. But in 
the Poilu talk It means not that. When there is 
no more fun in life, and I am not good for any- 
thing anyhow, like you say, that is what they call 
to have the "cafard." And it is very bad in the 
army. It is to have a bad morale and we must 
wind ourselves up. 

Dear godfather, you must be content because I 
love you much. And you take so much pain and 
you labor so hard to entertain^^ me, I want make 
you happy in your heart so you have no more the 

(18) entertain (entretentr) to support. 



S6 DEER GODCHILD 

"cafard." Dear godfather, I will tell you the 
American Poilus have come. On Monday last 
v/e hear the music on the road and the mistress 
tell us this afternoon all the children must put on 
aprons clean, and we go to see pass the Ameri- 
cans. And Maman give me five sous for pur- 
chase a bouquet for give them In souvenir of my 
dear godfather, and the fleurlste give me two 
roses red and I envelope them In a paper wet for 
hold them fresh. And all the little girls march In 
rank like soldiers, two by two, on to the road 
where the Americans come. And the gendarmes 
march before us to make spread open the crowd 
so we come. And we stand In rank and It make a 
very long line and shake the flag American and 
wait. The sun was brilliant and very hot and 
after a very long moment, we hear the big music 
come around the corner, and all bodies were 
screaming: "Vive I'Amerlque! Vive les Etats 
Unis! Hurrah Sammies!" and the gentlemen 
throw up their hats In air. And all of a hit we 
see the banner of stars coming down the street, 
and I look and all the little girls at a time kneel 
themselves on the sidewalk. And I make the sign 
of the cross, and the little girls at back of me 



DEER GODCHILD 57 

laugh and mock at me, but the mistress say it is 
right; the sign of the cross is good for the flag 
too. And when the flag is pass we arise and say- 
hurrah also, and one soldier American regard me 
with a smile. Then I take my courage with two 
hands and cast away the roses on him, and he 
catch and kiss me with his hand, and put the roses 
In his coat. His name Is Teddy and I love him 
much. I know because he come see me, because I 
write my name (with two es) and adresse tied to 
the roses. My Maman was very much surprise 
when she see Monsieur Teddy come and ring to 
the door. He Is very well elevated and very 
beautiful. He has buckled halrs^^ and a line on 
one side and his figure Is razed.^^ His uniform Is 
the color of the ground; it is not so much pretty 
as the French Pollus who are the color of the sky. 
And his hat Is tied, like a bonnet of old woman, 
with a shoe-lace In the back. But I love him all 
of same. He take me on his knees and say: "Par- 
lez vous frangais'' and he begin to recite the verb 
**avoIr," because he know nothing more of French. 
And so I say I know very well the American and 
I talk at him and he laugh very strong. And he 

(19) Euckled hairs {chcvenx hoiiclcs) curl}^ hair. 

(20) His fig-ure is razed {sa figure est rasee) his face is shaved. 



58 DEER GODCHILD 

give me a piece of bonbon very droll. It Is mint 
but it is like elastic; I eat a great number of pieces 
because I want not to offence him, and Teddy all 
of a hit become very much frightened: "What," 
he say, "You did swallow the chewing gum !" And 
I say: "Naturally I swallow the bonbon!'* And 
Teddy say a bad English word and run away 
without his hat and he come back with a bottle of 
ipecac and I will not take because I know what it 
make do. And poor Teddy was very much des- 
olated; he come every day to get of my news, and 
to-day he bring the bonbons French that we swal- 
low. To-day he ask me will I be his little adopted 
girl the year next when you have finish with me 
and I say, "Mebbe I will." And he say, "Bully 
for you, you're a peach!" I make him write be- 
cause it is the American and not in the dictionary. 

Goodbye, dear godfather. 

Your affeckshunate godchild, 

Andree Leblanc. 



DEER GODCHILD 59 

P.S. I am surprise you ask who is M. le Cure. 
Only the pagans have not knowledge of him. Are 
you one pagan? I think you say that to make 
laugh. It is very bad to mock yourself of M. le 
Cure. 



To Mr. James P. Jackson Jr. 
Dear Sir: 

Due to the great confusion and delay existing in 
the mails at the present time, we have not until 
now been able to repair our error concerning your 
godchild. We take pleasure in announcing that 
we are now in a position to supply you with a boy 
as formerly requested. 

As to the little girl, we can no doubt provide 
for her until other arrangements can be made. 
Elderly gentlemen, we find, are particularly fond 
of adopting little girls. 

Hoping you will pardon our delay, and inform 
us as soon as possible concerning your wishes in 
this matter, we beg to remain. 

Sincerely yours. 
The Junior Committee for The 

Fatherless Children of France. 



6o DEER GODCHILD 

Greenville Falls, N. Y. 
Deer Miss Secretary, 

It is more than kind of you to bother about 
changing my girl into a boy, but it cant be done 
because I have changed my mind about it, but I 
thank you all the same. You see It Is this way, 
at fust I wanted a boy and I was kinder sore after 
setting my heart on one to get a girl, but the girl 
you give me is diferent from most girls, she seams 
to have a lot of rele sense, and I have got kinder 
used to her, and, well I woodnt like to have her 
unprovided and waitin fer a old gentleman to 
adop her. Some old gentlemen are auful cranks. 
Old Sam Burton who is our naybor is the limit. 
He has had 5 wives and Mother sez Lord only 
nos what he has done with them, enneway we 
dont. And she has sort of been takin it ezy while 
I was suportin her and the change wood come 
hard to her, I mene my godchild not Sam Bur- 
ton's wife. Ennyway the yere Is most over and 
you no how folks talk. Fust thing I new they 
wood say, young Jackson's a fikle feller. Thot 
he'd adop a orfan and now hes swaped his girl 
fer a boy. You no how people will talk, so I guess 
I can stand my godchild fer this yere ennyway, 
and after that we shall see. Of corse I was 



DEER GODCHILD 6i 

simply sterilized when I lernt she was a girl, but 
even a girl is preferable to a boy that wore shawls 
and sed everything was prety and kist you with 
the botom of his heart. She has cut that out now, 
and I am gettin her in prety good shape. Ex- 
planlng whats what to her and every thing. So 1 
guess we can manlge but I am obliged to you fer 
the asking. 

Yours truly, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



Greenville Falls, N. Y. 
Sept. 5, 1917. 
Deer godchild, 

Your letter reeched me safely, and I was re- 
leeved to here the boys had got safely "over 
there." Of corse we have had some few notes, 
pertlkerly from Hanky Jones you no the feller that 
drove the hearse I tole you about. Well he Is 
drivin somewhere over the top in France, not a 



62 DEER GODCHILD 

hearse but a truck, and oh boy, he sez the swellest 
funeral he ever drove fer cant hold a candel to 
drivln a truck with Fritz bulets bingin all round 
you and he sez, I received the kit you sent me and 
it is a great comfort (the kit Is not a cat but a 
assortment of handkerchiefs and tooth brushes 
and everything a soldier gets and Mother sent 
him his and so he rote to thank her) an he sez If 
I go over the top with the best of luck and get 
enuf leave to come home I will give Myself the 
pleasure of calling on you, and showin you what 
a Greenville soldier looks like. My reciprocity 
shall never end. And he goes on tellln how french 
cookin agrees with him and the censer didnt cut 
that out, but he cut out the best part I guess. Enny- 
way the censer must have a soft spot fer you be- 
cause he never cuts enny part of yours out. I 
guess ennyway you must be a pretty poplar girl 
you have so many frens, that think a lot of you, 
theres your brother Jules and that Mr. le Cure 
and that guy Teddy and me. I was sort of think- 
in about you and me the other day and I rote a 
verse of poltry about us and here it is. 



DEER GODCHILD 63 

Realization 
By James Prendergast Jackson, Jr. 

Im over here, and your ^'over there,* 
And I no not the shade of your eyes or your hare, 
But this much I relize, from the land of the Free! 
You are imbibed with mystery/ 

I think that sums up the situation. I have 
supported you one yere and you dont no me, and I 
dont no you, and mebbe you will never mete me 
and mebbe I will never me^te you, a«nd while I am 
tryin to think how I can get over there along 
comes that feler Teddy and gets his eye on you 
and sez. Guess 111 have h&r for my godchild, and 
Bully f er you your a peach ! and you fall f er it of 
corse, and I have to take a back seat. I guess that 
is life, but I tell you it is pretty tuf sometimes and 
a feler who is twelve yeres old has more trubbles 
than you think. But I guess if you want to be his 
godchild I wont stand between you. Mebbe you 
wood like a list of how I have suported you? 
Here is some of it, mindin chickins, selling Mir- 
rors, choppin wood, frezin ice-cream fer Crankit 
& sons, pickin cheries, money from Carl Odell fer 
keepin quiet, polishin door handels, a mud turtle 
to Sid Perkins, a jar of pollywogs to Sid Perkins, 



64 DEER GODCHILD 

he wants to build an aquarium, and I washt the 
winders of missis Perkins big, white house one 
weak when I was hard up, but I dont think I shall 
ever be hard up again as mister Parker has ofered 
to take me on the Mirror staff whenever I like, as 
he sez I talk like a book agent. I wish I cood leva 
school and go into bizness or to war or something. 
I dont seem to get much out of school somehow. 
Miss Davis sez to mother, Mebbe your son has 
deefective eyes but she sez to me, You are a block- 
hed. I guess miss Davis is off the trolly or some- 
thing, Dad sez she has Fritz blood because she is 
distently related to the Dinkelheims. I was sory 
to hear you had swallerd all that gum, but was 
glad to see you got away with it, that feler was 
the limit to give it to you, it is not a thing to give 
to a godchild. Fust thing you no when he is your 
godfather he will feed you a shoestring or some- 
thing, and you will be two polite to say no and you 
will dye. I hate to think of you ending that way 
it dont seem rite somehow. Say what does he 
want to buckle his hare and line it up one side fer? 
He must think his hed is a race track. Gee whiz I 
hate to think of the Yanks comin runnin over 
there with felers like that among them. I have 
been in swimmin with Dinky Odell in old Frost 



DEER GODCHILD 65 

Lake to-day and he stumpt me to swaller a skipper 
and sed I bet a quarter you will not, so I swallerd 
one and it didnt test ennything at all, only it kind 
of crawled up and down my throte fer awhile and 
o Boy! didnt he tickel though! The next time I 
swaller a skipper I shall chew him fust, if you 
dont they walk inside of you as if they was saying 
"where do we go from hear?" Say you were 
pretty smart about catching on about my jokin 
about Mr. le Cure. Corse I dont no him as well 
as you do, caus you no and I no he has lived on 
the other side more than hear, but I guess if we 
was to pass on the street, we wood no each other 
well enuf to say. Hello, old top, how are you to- 
day? Say, I have got your Christmas present all 
pickt out, do you no what I wish you wood give 
me fer mine? See if you can guess. 

Your affeckshunate godfather as ever, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



66 DEER GODCHILD 

1 8 rue d'Autancourt, Paris. 
September 21, 1917. 
My dear godfather : 

I thank you for your long letter, and I give it 
to Monsieur Teddy so he read and see how much 
you are genteel. He regard the letter and regard 
me and his figure become very droll, like he want 
laugh or cry very much and he dare not and must 
retain himself, and he demand if he can keep the 
letter in his pocket for tomorrow, because he de- 
sire to envoy you a response with mine. He is 
very amiable and charming, think you not? He 
come to my house all the days now and always he 
bring something. Sunday he bring a pate like we 
eat on days of fete before the war; and he remain 
for aid us eat it. And yesterday he bring a great 
ribbon all white for tie on my hairs. He say in 
Amerique all the little girls carry on the summit 
of the head a ribbon big like a hat. He want not 
I keep for the Sundays but he tie me up and then 
he say I am pretty — jolly he say, and he demand I 
show him to speak the French. So he commence 
to read my book of when I was little, the "Lec- 
tures Enfantines" and I make him say the little 
poetry that is on the page 3 and it say: "Cher 



DEER GODCHILD 67 

petit orelller," and then my great sister enter and 
she have on her bodice of Sundays and very much 
the powder of rice on the nose. And she say: "Go 
in the bed-chamber and amuse yourself, and I talk 
with this Monsieur Americain." And I want not 
to go, and I cry, but she say if I obey not she will 
tell Monsieur Teddy come back never again. She 
is a villain, my great sister. I will defend that she 
aid me to write my letters to you ; I have not busi- 
ness of her. I have as much as her knowledge of 
the English, and the American also. And Mon- 
sieur Teddy love me, nothing but me. When he 
get up to go away he call: "Where is that child 
of the gods?" (He make that game of words be- 
cause I have perhaps two godfathers) And I 
come, and he console me. Thursday last it was 
my birthday. Monsieur Teddy devined it because 
he ask me how much age I have and I say I will 
have twelve years the 18, and he say in Amerique 
it is always a great feast and I must to eat a cake 
very big with snow and Ice on it and candles, and 
so he bring it. I was washing the vessels,^* and 
he come in the kitchen and make many foolishness. 
He whip me (to make laugh) twelve times with a 
little stick so I grow very big all the year. And 

(21) Washing the vessels {laver la vaisselle) washing the dishes. 



68 DEER GODCHILD 

then he make me hide my eyes In my apron, and 
when I open them, I see the cake, big and white 
like — oh like I know not what — and the twelve 
candies pink were illuminated and there was my 
name with the two es writ in chocolate on the 
snow. And Monsieur Teddy bring also the cold 
cream; it Is rose like the candles and perfumed 
with vanilla and strawberries. Oh dear godfather, 
I wanted you be here and have some ! Only one 
time before when I was little I did eat the cold 
cream and never when it is the war did we eat 
cake. And it Is good like to be in Paradise ! 

But alas! Monsieur Teddy soon will go beat 
hlmself^^ with the boches! It is terrible to think 
because he Is so good and beautiful ! I told you he 
have little wings white on him, because he go up 
in the air? 

Goodbye, dear godfather, 

Your affeckshunate godchild, 

Andree Leblanc. 



(22) Beat himself iSe battre) to fight. 



DEER GODCHILD 69 

Greenville Falls, N. Y. 
October 6, 19 17. 
Deer godchild, 

I am sending you this letter in anser to yours 
quick, becaus I think if you are not careful that 
Teddy will poison you with his eats. The 
gum was bad enuf and I was jokin when I sed 
what I did about the shoestring, but cross my 
heart and hope to dye, that feedin you cold cream 
is the wust I ever herd, and what makes me feel 
so bad is there is no one to warn you and he is 
stringin you on. Gee whiz, it makes me sick to 
think of it! I have not been able to eat fer two 
days, yesterday we had pancakes fer brekfast aid 
I cood not eat enny and mother sed, I wonder 
what ales James? And dad sed. In the spring a 
yung mans fancy, and mother sed quick, It is not 
spring, Prendy, it is fall, and I think it is his 
stummick that is turned and dad sed. No it is his 
heart I have found his poitry, and mother sed, 
Well you may be rite but I shall give him a dose 
of caster oil, You no the oil of the caster, just like 
you had the oil of the codfish only this tests like 
sam scratch see? Well I had to swaller some and 
it was feerce and fer too cents I wood twist that 



70 DEER GODCHILD 

teller Teddy's nose and stick my finger in his eye. 
Gee whiz, and he wares white wings dose he, and 
jumps up in the air. Some angel beleeve me. say 
mebbe he is a angel that has fallen from the sky? 
or a acrobat from Barnums? only I guess if he 
comes from Barnums he must be a freak al-rite. 
Ennyway until this yere ends you are my godchild 
and I am your godfather, and I forbid you to 
tuch enny more of that Teddys eats, understand? 
If you are hungry you just tell me, and I will send 
you the proper food, and it will not be gum, or 
cold-cream or candels ether, I can tell you. Why 
even Mr. le Cure wood no enuf not to give you 
enny of those things. That Teddy is not fit to 
have a godchild, and that is the hole story in a 
nutshell. I dunno just what I shall do if he rites 
to me. Mebbe I will anser and mebbe I wont. I 
guess I shall tell miss Betty about it. Have I ever 
tole you about her? She lives in the big house on 
the hill next to Sid Perkins and she has hare like, 
well like what you sed about Jean's, like gold and 
sunshine, and big blue eyes and the cutest little 
chin with a dimple rite in the middle, and when she 
smiles she makes me think of the ferry queens you 
read about in books. I guess miss Betty is the 
prettiest girl on earth al-rite. She was one of the 



DEER GODCHILD 71 

folks what let me give there dorenobs a extra 
polish, and she nos all about you and now I have 
tole her about that Teddy, and she sez, I no just 
how you feel about him Jimmy. It is a grate com- 
fort to have someone understand you if your fam- 
ily do not. And I askt her if she new enny poitry 
in french I cood send you by way of conversashun, 
and she sez, I remember just one, and here it is, 
**Je vous aime, je vous adore, 
Que voulez vous done encoreT^ 
I thot that was kind of short but she sed if I 
sent this to you you mite send that feler Teddy 
packin, but I guess you wont. I dont no when I 
have had so much bad luck as I have had lately. 
Fust their was the hoopincoff, then my blew legs, 
then I lost my firecrakers, and now I guess I am 
going to lose you al-rite. I fergot to tell you 
their is a new preecher hear called Herbit Eloover 
and he is a minister of the gospel of the Clean 
Plate, and all us school boys have been distributin 
little papers about it, the idee is, if you do not be- 
leeve in it you eat meat and wheat and everythin, 
and if you beleeve a little you have meatless days 
and eat rye and no wheat, and if you get the reli- 
gion rele hard you lick your plate clean and eat 
pretty near nothing at all. Ennyway nobody must 



72 DEER GODCHILD 

eat sugar. Dad sez It Is becaus sugar has turned 
to dimonds, so we have sirup Insted and it is pretty 
good, the pancakes I was tellin you about was 
made with that. Mother sez the sugar situashun 
Is going to be rele bad. I hope their is some left 
fer my birthday which Is near Thanksgiving day. 
Say, you and I come near bein twins do you no 
that? Just too weaks more and we wood have 
been born together, only I wood have been your 
twin over here and you wood have been my twin 
over there. Say woodnt that have been funny 
though! Stranger things have happined though. 
It does seem sort of strange to think those too 
weaks have made me your godfather and you my 
godchild Insted of us bein twins. I tole mother 
about It and she sed she thot It was better the way 
it IS. I have saved up 47 cents fer your Christmas 
present I am not going to tell you what I wish you 
wood do fer mine. I am going to see if you can 
guess It. 

Your ever affeckshunate godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



DEER GODCHILD 73 

1 8 rue d'Autancourt, Paris. 
September 24, 19 17. 

My dear godfather: 

I am afraid this letter can't be In my own style 
and handwriting this time, for Mr. Teddy Is here 
and I have asked him to help me with my English, 
In exchange of my helping him with his French. 
My mind is troubled and I think he can express 
my thought, so he has taken the pen In hand, and 
I, sitting on a little stool at his feet, and gazing 
up at him, try to make him understand what Is In 
my mind. 

But first of all Mr. Teddy wants to ask you to 
forgive him, If he seems to be ^'butting In" and 
spoiling the game between you and your godchild. 
Honor bright, he didn't mean to do it. It was 
fate. Just blind, mysterious, and merciless fate 
that decreed that things should happen as they 
did. Mr. Teddy may be a blessing In disguise, 
anyway he couldn't be helped, and he has no ex- 
cuse to offer, except, perhaps, that he Is alone In 
the world and homesick In a foreign land. He 
Is sorry you and he can't fight a duel over the 
situation, but I am very glad. And Mr. Teddy 
wants to tell you, very seriously that he takes off 



74 DEER GODCHILD 

his hat to any little fellow of your size who can 
do the plucky thing you have done, and keep it 
up so well. If grown up men all had more of 
your spirit, he says, the war would be over long 
ago. 

The object of this letter is as follows: I (your 
godchild) wish to make amends. I wrote you 
yesterday, and didn't answer your letter. Not a 
word did I say about it, except that I had received 
it, then I prattled away all about another would- 
be godfather for whom you, naturally, have no 
earthly use. And to-day my heart is filled with re- 
morse and my head is filled with fears lest you 
should think your dear godchild is ungrateful, 
fickle, and flighty. I want to tell you how every 
detail of your life — from knob-polishing and bug- 
swallowing to poetry-writing is dear and precious 
to me. How I wish I could do the same ! How I 
live in eager expectation of your letters; how I 
gloat and ponder over them when they come ; and 
how deep is the gloom into which I am plunged 
when they do not come! Mr. Teddy knows all 
that, because I have somehow expressed it, and if 
I had striven to hide my thought he would have 
guessed it, for he knows full well what goes on 



DEER GODCHILD 75 

in the hearts of little maids and gallant lads. 

Therefore have I asked him to voice my deepest 
feelings in a poem that will answer yours : 

^'Idealization" 

By Andree Leblanc and 
Yankee Teddy. 

^'Though our eyes may never meet, 
To me youWe more than bread or meat. 
You are the -proud and noble knight 
That I pray for every night. 
You could stand up on burning decks, 
While others ran to save their necks. 
You would not fear the dreadful Hun, 
In Freedom* s cause you^d fire a gun* 
A lad who never gets cold feet 
Was not destined to know defeat. 
But oh! thou child of many prayers 
Beware of Jealousy's deep snares T' 

From your affectionate godchild, 

Andree Leblanc. 



76 DEER GODCHILD 

Greenville Falls 
Oct. 10, 1917. 
My dear Mr. Teddy, 

Jimmy has just brought me your letter. In great 
excitement, and I am taking the liberty of answer- 
ing it myself, as I don't think he could do himself 
justice under the present circumstances. Mr. 
Teddy, did you ever have a soft spot for a little 
girl, when you were about eleven or twelve? I 
had one for a little boy; he was older than I, about 
fourteen; his name was Robert, and he had 
freckles; I think he squinted, too, and he teased 
all the girls a great deal. I am sure he was a very 
horrid little boy, as I look back, but at that time 
I thought he was wonderful, and it almost broke 
my heart when he said he had no use for little 
yellow-haired girls and took a girl with two brown 
pigtails to a big children's party, instead of me. 

Jimmy has a very soft spot for his godchild, 
and it is more than a passing fancy wath him. You 
see, his family, w^hlle not actually poverty-stricken, 
are not as well off as they used to be, and Jimmy 
has practically supported Andree himself all the 
year, through countless little odd jobs. I have 
seen him on the coldest winter days, chopping 



DEER GODCHILD 77 

wood or going from door to door asking to shovel 
snow, and his fingers were so red and frozen he 
could scarcely hold the shovel; yet he was always 
ready, with a smile, to do more work for his "kid 
in France.'' Andree is his godchild, his sister, his 
whole family to him ; and he shoulders the respon- 
sibility of looking after her with all the seriousness 
of a little old man. Now, right In the middle 
of this flourishing state of affairs you come, with 
your big American pockets filled with elastic candy 
and bon-bons, and at a moment's notice you pro- 
duce cold-cream, perfumed with strawberry and 
vanilla, and snow-covered cakes such as Jimmy 
can never hope to equal. What little girl would 
not turn fickle to her first love in the presence of 
such a display? At first Jimmy was filled with 
natural jealousy at your intrusion. He was all 
for going over there and giving you a piece of his 
mind; but since receiving your letter he has, al- 
m.ost incredibly, come to feel sorry for you be- 
cause, as he says, "It must be pretty tuf to be all 
alone over there, and I guess he thinks my god- 
child is a peach, all right." And Jimmy is right; 
you must be so very very lonesome ! And yet 
couldn't we manage to cheer you up a little with- 



78 DEER GODCHILD 

out taking Jimmy's godchild away from him? I 
don't know of any little godchild I could give you 
in exchange, but I do know of a girl who lives 
with an invalid mother in a big white house on a 
hill, and who would only be too glad to have a 
soldier for a godson and send him little packages 
of cigarettes, and pictures of movie stars (of 
which she has a great collection) and — oh tell him 
about home and friends and people and every- 
thing. 

I am sending you this letter care of Andree 
Leblanc, If you would care for the arrangement 
I suggest, would you let me know? 

Sincerely yours, 

Elizabeth WInslow 



1 8 rue d'Autancourt, Paris. 
November 2, 19 17. 
My dear godfather: 

Jules has received a wound, and he is very joy- 
ful because it make him not to die; on the con- 



DEER GODCHILD 79 

trary it make him cited at the order of the day 
and decorated with the Medaille Militaire. He 
make two boches prisoners and catch them with 
one hand because the other had the very bad hurt. 
And then he fainted himself on the ground and 
the Cross Red pick him and conduct him at a great 
hospital in Paris. And Tuesday Maman and 
Marie go to see him and take him the lemonade. 
And yesterday Monsieur Teddy ask Maman the 
permission to take me to see him also and she say 
yes and we go. We ride in the tramway pending 
a long time and I give Monsieur Teddy a lesson of 
French, and he say nothing but, oiii, out and chic 
alors — zut alors! And all the travelers regard 
us and laugh and Monsieur Teddy laugh also. 
But when we arrive at the hospital he laugh not 
at all. He take my hand and I keep it very tight 
because I am frighten. It is very beautiful, the 
hospital. There is the great garden with trees 
and flat bands^^ and the soldier sentinel at the 
door. Inside it is all white and dark, a little like 
the church, and it smell of pharmacy and nobody 
make a noise. A lady white conduct us up the 
stairs and open a door, and I see a great number 

(23) Flat bands (plate-bandes) flower beds. 



8o DEER GODCHILD 

of beds In lines with Poilus in them. When they 
see the uniform American some make the salute 
military and I feel myself very proud. Jules was 
so content he say it make his hurt to go away im- 
mediately. And Teddy sit on a chair and give 
cigarettes and try to make conversation with his 
hands. And I sit on the bed and make talk with 
two tongues and ten fingers also. And Teddy say 
he will come again see brother Jules all the Sun- 
days and Thursdays and console him until he go 
to fly away. Very sure he Is one angel, Mr. 
Teddy! And he go up In the heavens with the 
wings! Oh little foolish godfather! Understand 
you not he Is one aviator? And you must not be 
in anger when he give me the good things to eat. 
Perhaps In Amerlque the cold cream Is bad, but In 
Paris It make you not sick, on the contrary. I 
show not your letter to Mr. Teddy because you 
say for two cents you twist his nose and his eyes 
and It Is not very genteel, dear godfather. When 
you think wickedness the bon Dieu punish you. It 
Is because you think wickedness of Mr. Teddy 
that you become sick and cannot to eat the pan- 
cakes, and must drink the oil of the caster. 

I am content that the Miss Betty understand 



DEER GODCHILD 8i 

you and you tell her all things, and she is like the 
ferry with the twisted hairs. Hairs like gold is 
very pretty for little boys like Jean, but on ladies 
it look like the sun have fade the color. Thank 
you for the poetry she make. But my great sister 
see it and she say to Maman: "These infants 
write great foolishness all the time. If it con- 
tinues we must give Andree no more stamps of 
five sous. We will make the economy and send 
only a card postal all the three months when the 
Comite Americain send the silver of the god- 
father." 

And I am very unhappy because Maman will 
not permit me to polish door-knobs like you and 
gain silver for the stamps of five sous. But little 
Jean come squeeze my neck and console me, and 
say he will work and become rich to purchase the 
stamps of five sous. Poor little! He know not 
what it Is the life, but he is one brave little man, 
and I think he will resemble to you, dear god- 
father. Oh, I forget, in my other letter I write 
when Mr. Teddy come, to say I desire very much 
your portrait where you are grinning, like you say. 
I love much the grinning godfather. I will place 
you above my bed, under the branch of blessed 



82 DEER GODCHILD 

box. My Papa is there also, and I embrace him 
all the nights, before I lie down. 

Dear little godfather, I am very recognizing^"^ 
that you guard 47 sous for my Christmas. Alas, 
I can never enough say thank you for all you do, 
and I can never render it to you ! It, make me full 
of sorry when I think that. With Maman I essay 
to guess what you want I do. I will make some- 
thing with my proper hands, and Maman will aid. 
You will love a pair of slippers embroidered, or 
a shawl (I want say a scarf) or a bonnet of avia- 
tor? Tell me, I pray of you. 

I shake your hand affectuously. 

Your godchild, 

Andree Leblanc. 



(24) RtcognizingCrecominissanfe') grateful. 



DEER GODCHILD 83 

Greenville Falls 
Nov. 18, 1917. 
Deer godchild, 

How are you? I got that mister Teddy's let- 
ter, and I was goin to anser it but I dident no 
just what to say, so I gave it to miss Betty and 
she sed she wood anser it herself. And you 
needent worry about my twistin his nose and 
stikin my finger in his eye, because if you like him 
I will leave him alone fer your sake. I had quite 
a good birthday. Miss Betty found out when it 
was, and she gave me a bully party, but we had a 
feerce time gettin sugar. You no mister Hoover 
the new minister I was telling you about? Well 
he has got reel exited about sugar, and he has told 
the shopkeepers they must give only one pound to 
itch family, and miss Betty she wanted more than 
that to make my cake, because she sez it is hard 
enuf to cook with things but it is the limit to cook 
without them. And she dident no what to do until 
she had a brite idee. She sent Molly to Butler's 
store and she got some mapel seerop and mixt it 
all up with the sugar and a lot of other good stuff. 
And I had a bully cake. It was kinder soft to 
have candels on it, but miss Betty made it all her- 



84 DEER GODCHILD 

self and that is more than your Teddy did, and it 
was a bully cake just the same. And she let me 
ask Dinky Odell over to have some and we had 
hot chocolate and a fust rate time. I am sorry 
your sister dident like the poitry. Some peeple 
dont no a good thing when they see it. Carl Odell 
has writ to Amanda, and he sez, "I am writing 
this in the midst of falling shells and boms bust- 
ing in air, but if ever I come out al-rite little girl 
I'll come back to you.'* Carl Odell must have 
been sent to the front pretty quick al-rite as he has 
only been gone too weaks, and he sez he has a 
lot of inside inflammation, but he is afraid the 
censer will cut it out. 

And now I come to the bizness part of this leter. 
Fer one yere now I have been your godfather and 
50U have been my godchild, and we have hit it off 
pretty well I think, and now the yere is drawing 
to a close, and next month it may be all will be 
ended between us. Little girl, what I have been 
wishing you wood do fer Christmas is not a scarf, 
or slipper or ennything but this. Will you be my 
godchild fer a nuther yere? I guess mebbe you 
mite do better fer yourself and get a more classy 
godfather. I dont seem to be much good at school 
somehow, and I guess that missis Yanket was rite 



DEER GODCHILD JJ5 

when she sed what she did about my spellln beiii 
feerce. I guess mebbe you rite better than I do, 
and I no that mister Teddy dose becaus miss 
Betty saw his letter and she sed it was a fine letter. 
Somehow I guess Mr. le Cure and missis Yanket 
and all your frens rite and spell better than I do. 
But I bet I can polish dore handels and wash 
winders and sell Mirrors and suport you as well 
as enny Body. Mebbe I am cut out fer plane 
bizness. And so I say, if you think you like me, 
and wood like to keep on having me fer your god- 
father, say yes and I will be much obliged. But 
if you think you wood be hapier with Mr. Teddy, 
dear godchild why just say so and never mind 
about me. I guess I can live It down. 

Your affeckshunate godfather, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



86 DEER GODCHILD 

Paris, Dec. 4, 19 17. 

Dear godfather, 

I say thousand times yes, and the bon Dieu give 
you benediction. Oh dear godfather, you did 
make the foolish when you believe I want veritably 
monsieur Teddy to me adopt ! He is full of gra- 
cious goodness, Monsieur Teddy, but he is not like 
unto you. He did not the work, and he beat himself 
not with Red-Skins, to succour me and give com- 
fort in the modest interior. Mr. Teddy very sure 
will be one hero in the war, but you are already 
one hero with heart more big. And my dear 
Papa, that did die for the Patrle, is well content 
to behold that. We are loving all the Amerique ; 
but Maman and me say yesterday there is not in 
the world entire a boy so much remplished of sen- 
timents delicate like my grinning godfather. (I 
call you like that because your photography is 
come; you are more beautiful than Mr. Teddy 
and it rejoice the heart to look upon you.) 

Dear godfather I will tell you Mr. Teddy is 
departed to the front. He come one day, late, 
and he say not he go away the tomorrow ; he only 
sit by the stove, and take Jean upon his knees and 
caress the hairs of gold; and he smile very nice 



DEER GODCHILD 87 

but speak not much. And when he go, he tell me, 
very quiet, he have in his pocket one beautiful 
letter of the miss Betty. And she is his ferry god- 
mother, and you are my ferry godfather and all 
things are al-rite, al-rite! You say all the time 
that word, you other Americans, al-rite, al-rite. 
Maman say it is because you have confidence in 
the bon Dieu, and you know that He will make the 
bad world all over like that: Al-rite, al-rite ! 

Happy Year! dear little godfather. Permit, 
one time, that I embrace you very affectuously, 
and shake your hand. 

Your godchild for the life, 

Andree Leblanc. 



Deer Miss Secretary: 

After some consideration I have decided to 
keep my orfan fer one more yere. Of course she 
is still a girl and I wanted a boy, but she is used 
to me and I am used to her, and it mite go hard 



88 DEER GODCHILD 

with her if I left her fer some one else to adop, 
so if you will just put me down fer one more yere 
I will be much obliged to you. 

Yours truly, 

James P. Jackson Jr. 



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